Compare towns
Lee vs Merrimac vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Lee | Merrimac | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,719Lowest |
6,748 |
9,281Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
49.4±6.8Lowest 24% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
| Lee and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Merrimac and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lee and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Lee and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$123,054±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$553,400±$38kHighest about the MA average |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$212 22% below MA |
$1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$7,399Highest 23% above MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.3%±21.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 38% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.4%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #209 of 282 in MA | #188 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lee | Pentucket | Triton |
| High school in town | Lee Middle/High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.